Taking Vitamin E supplements does not ward off heart disease and may even mislead people into thinking they do not need to take drugs of proven value or adopt a healthier lifestyle, a study said Monday.
Summarizing the findings of seven studies conducted since 1990, the report published in The Archives of Internal Medicine concluded that people who took Vitamin E supplements did not protect themselves against cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin E in the diet is a so-called antioxidant and is thought to help prevent cholesterol from clogging arteries, said lead author Rachel Eidelman of the Agatston Research Institute in Miami Beach, Florida. But taking Vitamin E in supplement form did not appear to provide the same benefit, she said.
The report warned that some people may take Vitamin E pills in lieu of adopting healthier habits. They may also skip taking drugs of proven benefit in combating heart disease such as aspirin, statins and beta-blockers.
